The Inner Workings...

Written by Steph H.

First day at a new "job"; writing is something I enjoy doing so one would think that it wouldn't be to hard to describe myself, yet I'm already at a wall.

December fourth of 1985 I graced my family with my stunning personality, weird, yet witty, sense of humor and sparkling blue eyes. I came into this world in only 45 minutes giving the doctors no time to give my mother an epidural or any pain medications thru her IV. Coming out as fast as I did caused one problem, but don't worry, I am not affected by the problem anymore. When one sees my baby picture that they take in the hospital I have a big head, no hair, and oh yeah, that broken collar bone from shooting out of my mother too fast. I am the middle child in my family between my older brother Jonathon and younger Benjamin.

On January 25, 2004 a drunk driver changed my life forever. A friend and I were walking home on the sidewalk area and from behind we were hit by a drunk driver who then fled the scene of the accident. My friend that I was with died instantly. I have no memory of the accident up until about Valentine's day when they told me I had to lose my leg because of infection. I remember waking up to my mom sitting next to me every day for about the first two months. After that she would come up and sit with me after work daily. Along with becoming an amputee I lost a kidney and the other one was very badly damaged. I have a T-12 level spinal cord injury, a mild TBI, was in surgery inititally for 18 hours just to get me semi-stable. The drunk driver eventually turned himself in only because the friend whose snow truck it was saw it on TV and noticed front end damage. My mother went to every day of his trial and he never looked at her or my friend's mother. At sentencing when he was given the opportunity to apologize, he just sat there with his head down. David Rumph was sentenced to 15 - 22.5 years in jail. His earliest parole date is in January of 2019.

In the more than eight years since my accident I've gone through ups and downs just like any other individual my age. I was too old to go back to high school to finish my last semester of high school in order to graduate so I took my GED and passed on the first try. From there I began Oakland Community College majoring in Biology and minoring in Italian. The hour or longer drive, depending on traffic, wasn't working out for me so I transferred to Henry Ford Community College. It may have taken longer than two years but I recently received my Associates in General Studies with honors. In January I will begin to work on my bachelors of Chemistry focusing on Pharmacy. It's a lot of schooling, but I will not give up my dream to become a doctor just because of this accident.

I've had a few relationships but my current relationship has lasted over four years. I can honestly say I was shocked when she looked at me and didn't see the wheelchair.

November 4th 2011 I got the call from the University of Michigan Hospital telling me to get there as soon as possible; they had a kidney for me!!! I was scared and ecstatic at the same time. I'm still having difficulties with it but it's working and that makes me happy.

Over the summer of 2012 I had open heart surgery to fix my mitral valve regurgitation. I kept getting pneumonia after the kidney transplant and they couldn't figure it out so they checked my heart and found it. One more surgery under my belt, one new scar to call my own. After a recent echo of the heart my cardiologist said it looks and sounds beautifully.

A week from today I am having another big surgery. I have to go in two days early and stay for at least a week after. I'm looking forward to the results but as soon as I get there I just know I'm going to be getting nervous just like I do with every procedure.

The worst thing that came from all of this is that I now watch my son grow up with my mom instead of me. I took care of Zacky until my accident. We always talk right after school and right before bed but I wish I was there so I could give him kisses and hugs all day long.

That snowy day in January changed my life and there are parts of it that I will never get back. They say that forgiving and forgetting is going to help me heal but I'm not ready to do either.

Spooky Bash at DTS

Written by Bret K.

          The Wayne County Day Treatment Services Program of Special Tree has been planning away for this year’s Halloween celebration. They will be hosting a Halloween Party as well as having a Haunted House at their location the week of October 22, 2012.

            It all began with Kayla and Katelyn.  They had a vision of Special Tree’s Wayne County Residential homes enjoying the festivities of the season.  So they began planning.  All Wayne County Residential houses in connection with Special Tree have been invited to attend the bash!

            To set the mood, a Haunted House will be on display on Wednesday October 24 from 2pm to 4pm.  The staff is planning to have refreshments for all clients and staff attending following the Haunted House.  

            To end the spooky week’s event with a bang, there will be a Halloween Party on Friday October 26, 2012.  The party will be held at the Wayne DTS location.  There will be planned arts and crafts, BINGO, karaoke, and many more engaging activities for clients of all levels.  After a short lunch break, the festivities will continue into the afternoon with the viewing of a well known haunted thriller.

            If that isn’t enough Halloween partying, Special Tree is throwing their annual Fall Bash on October 26, 2012 beginning at 5pm.  The dinner dance is a yearly festivity that will be a blast for those that attend.

            Hope to see everyone enjoying the events of the week to come.  They are sure to be awesomely fun.

               

Wayne County Day Treatment Services

       

Written by Bret K.

Wayne County Day Treatment Services or DTS does a lot for Traumatic Brain Injury clients.  You have to register with Special Tree to get into the program.  DTS gives you a job, for example this blog is my job.  

            There are two portions of the Day Treatment Program, a vocational and a recreational.  The vocational portion is what gives clients supported employment to work on building employability skills.  The program helps people prepare to get a job after full recovery.  With TBI, however recovery can be a very long journey.  That is why the vocational program has grown to assist clients that will require supported employment for long periods of time.  That is where the clients are given an opportunity to build upon the skills to become a valued employee.

            The recreational portion of the program encourages clients to become active in their community.   Clients are able to work on social skills within groups of their peers to overcome the fear of talking to strangers.  They are encouraged to build friendships with other clients and the outside world.  The recreational portion of the program combines fun with building multiple skills for leisure purposes.

            The Wayne County Day Treatment Services Program is very helpful to clients that may need help with interacting in the community.  They help to build a variety of skills needed to become an employable citizen.  They also help clients to build the skills needed in everyday life to interact with their peers.  All in all it is a great place to go and make new friends and build skills.

Handicapped Parking

               

Written by Bret K.

Have you ever seen anyone park in a handicap parking spot that doesn’t belong there? I’m sure you have because there are violators everywhere.  In fact, you should always hang your handicap parking permit from your rearview mirror, where it can easily be seen.

We have all seen the blue sign designating a handicapped parking spot at the grocery store, the mall, and even the doctor’s office but what makes the spot so special?  Low and behold, the sign we all know to designate a handicapped parking spot has regulations that make it legal. The sign has to be placed at least four feet above the surface, but no taller than seven feet above the surface to qualify as a legal handicapped parking spot.  A painted symbol or sign on the pavement will not constitute that spot in court as a designated handicapped parking spot, and can potentially cause more confusion to those in need of these parking spots.

Why do we have special parking spots for the disabled? Stores and other public parking areas have designated parking spots for the disabled for multiple reasons throughout history.  One of the main reasons for these areas is to allow for wheelchair patrons to access their vehicle before and after their visit at said location.  These permits also allow for easier access to stores, doctor offices, and other general parking needs for patrons in need of them.  The designated handicapped parking areas are generally located close to crosswalks and tend to guide patrons safely to the building’s doors.

You may not see it as “hurting” or “harming” a disabled person by parking unlawfully in a designated handicapped spot but you really are. Persons that are wheelchair bound often need to utilize these spots for easier access to their vehicle without being blocked in by other vehicles parked to closely.  Patrons utilizing walkers often walk slower and require more space to get into and out of their vehicles.  Blind or deaf patrons require spots closer to the entrance so they are not potentially walking in the middle of the lot in harms way.  Last but not least we need to consider the elderly of our community. They require closer spots due to walking slower, possibly being weaker, or even ill when out in the community. The closer spots allow for others to easily see the patron if anything was to happen to them on the way into the building.

Who violates these parking permits the most? There is the obvious answer to this question, being those that do not acquire a parking permit and still park in the areas designated for disabled persons.  However, the majority of violators include those that have been able to obtain a permit that either does not belong to them or has expired.  You can utilize a permit if it does not belong to you only if the disabled person is in the vehicle at said time of parking otherwise, you are utilizing the permit unlawfully.

So, what happens if you unlawfully park in a designated handicapped parking area? In Michigan, you can receive a ticket for parking unlawfully in a designated area for disabled persons. The ticket can range in cost from $100 to $500. That’s a big price to pay just to park a few feet closer to the door if you don’t need to.

Parking illegally is a big problem.  It can make getting to the destination hard if a disabled person cannot park in a handicap spot because it was taken by a person who is not disabled. Make sure your handicap parking permit is hung where it belongs, which is on the review mirror, because some people may be looking for them that are in wheelchairs.  If it’s not hung where it is suppose to go and just laid on the dashboard, the person in a wheelchair might not be able to see it.  This has happened to me. Since I’m in a wheelchair and a person had just set the handicap parking permit on their dashboard of a tall vehicle, I could not see it. Since I thought the person was illegally parking, I found a police officer and told them there was an illegally parked vehicle. When he checked it out, he looked and told me that they had a handicap parking tag, just laid on the dash.  So, to make it easier for everyone to see hang your permit from the rearview mirror.

If you’re not handicapped, or have a handicapped passenger, please refrain from using handicapped parking places. You should also be sure that you’re parking permit is in the proper place. You could be endangering others by using these spaces unlawfully.

Do you know the history of Halloween?

         

Written by Bret K.

          We all know what the day of October 31st is.  This is the day we celebrate a holiday called Halloween.  We all know that Halloween is a day for dressing up and eating candy.  Do you know the history of Halloween?

          Irish and Scottish immigrants brought about different versions of the tradition to the United States in the 19th century.  Some western countries established the holiday in the late 20th century.  Some western countries established the holiday in the late 20th century including Ireland, the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

          The Celtic festival Samhain is where Halloween originated.  Samhain was celebrated at the end of the harvest season in Gaelic culture.  This festival was a time utilized by the ancient pagans to take stock of supplies and get ready for the winter.  On October 31st, the ancient Gaels believed the boundaries between the living and the dead overlapped and the dead would come back to life and cause trouble like sickness or damaged crops. 

          Bonfires were very frequent at the festivals.  This was because the Gaels believed bats would be attracted to the area since insects were attracted to the fire.  Items like masks and costumes were worn to the festivals also to try to copy the evil spirits or appease them.  Children would go from house to house in costumes asking for treats with the question, "Trick or Treat?"  The "treat" part meant that children wanted to receive candy by the people living at the house.  The "trick" part meant that a threat would be made by the children to play a trick if no candy was received.  Worldwide, Halloween has become socially expected to hand out candy to children that night.

          Halloween is a night mainly for children.  Halloween is not just about costumes and candy but there is also some history behind it.  What do you do in preparation for fall?  I hope you all have a fun Halloween this year and receive many treats and no tricks!

Baclofen Pump

         

Written by Bret K.

          

            Baclofen pumps tend to help a lot with spasms.  Neurologists usually test it out first before they actually put one in you.  With me, I have a baclofen pump, they tested me first.  They tried to separate my legs with no baclofen and because of the amount of spasticity in my legs; it did not go so well. Then they shot baclofen directly into my spine with a needle, tried to separate my legs again, and it worked very well.

            A baclofen pump is a medical device used to deliver small quantities of medication directly into the spinal fluid. A baclofen pump is best described as an intrathecal pump. There is no age limit on these devices, but the youngest patient to effectively receive a pump was four years old.  The baclofen medication reportedly reduces the amount of spasticity throughout the body. It also tends to reduce the amount and severity of spasms.

            The baclofen pump is surgically placed within the abdominal area.  The patient is generally placed on bed rest for two to three days following the procedure.  While on bed rest, intravenous antibiotics are given for the first day after pump insertion.  The baclofen medication is increased at minimal rates over the next couple of weeks. It can be adjusted as needed throughout time. Spasticity is noticeably decreased within four to five days after the pump has been inserted.

            Following the initial procedure there is a few follow up procedures to take account of. Medication needs to be refilled into the pump every two to six months; this can be done by the physician or physician’s assistant. They may also need to adjust the amount of medication that is dispersed at that time. Generally medication is increased for the first year after insertion. The pump runs on a battery, and when the battery dies, the pump must be replaced. Depending on the exact pump and your dosage levels the pump should be replaced every five to eight years.  This device has been used for over 15 years with no long term complications. The amount of spasticity reduced depends greatly on the pump placement, as well as the amount of medication dispersed. The pump may need to be moved after initial insertion, varying by the individual.

            With every medication or treatment, there are both positive and negative side effects on the mind, body, and spirit. The most common complaints of baclofen users tend to be; difficulty voiding, constipation, headaches and dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Not all patients with the baclofen pump experience these symptoms, or do very rarely. 

            Some less common side effects of the baclofen medication can include seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, blurred or sometimes double vision,  and muscle weakness. Some patients have reported shortness of breath or trouble breathing, fainting, mental depression, ringing in the ears, and occasionally grand mal seizures. Again, these are less common side effects and not all pump recipients experienced all side effects listed.

            There is a chance, as with any medication, of a baclofen overdose.  If you experience any of the following please see your physician immediately. Symptoms of overdose can include mental confusion, increased watering of the mouth, dizziness, drowsiness, grand mal seizures, muscle weakness, nausea, and vomiting. The patient may have one or more of the side effects occurring at the same time or consecutively.

            If you have been on this medication regimen, and it is not working out there are some notable side effects of abruptly stopping the baclofen medication.  These symptoms include decreased heartbeat, increased muscle spasms, facial flushing, headache, increased sweating, seeing, hearing, or feeling things that are not there, and even grand mal seizures. If you are considering stopping this medication, be sure to see your physician and discuss with him/her advantages and disadvantages.

            The body may go through some symptoms of withdrawal if a) you abruptly stop the baclofen medication, or b) the pump can run low or out of medication to disperse. If this occurs, be sure to see your physician as soon as possible. Withdrawal symptoms include; seizures, blurred vision, confusion, itching, burning sensation, feeling like pins and needles are poking you , unusually or easily becoming tired or weak, dizziness, faintness, and unusual sweating. These are just a few symptoms, but you know your body the best. If there is anything unusual occurring, you should make an appointment see your physician as soon as possible or head to the emergency room.  

            There are some rumors running the rumor mill pertaining to the baclofen pump.  One myth is that a test dose is given to see if the patient is a good pump candidate, in truth this test is performed to see if the baclofen medication reduces the amount of spasticity in the individual.  Another myth is that the pump only reduces spasticity in the legs. In truth, having a baclofen pump can reduce spasticity throughout the body, depending on the placement of the catheter delivering the medication to the spinal cord fluid.

            All in all, a baclofen pump is a good thing if you’re the right candidate for one.  The doctor or physician can tell you or your guardian if you are a good candidate for a baclofen pump. Good luck if you’re in this situation and need a baclofen pump.

             

GO TIGERS!!!

         

Detroit Tigers

Written by Bret K.

    The Detroit Tigers are currently in a battle for first place in their division. They are competing against the Chicago White Sox. At this point, they are one game behind to be tied.

    There are currently 28 games left in the season. Out of those games, only 12 are to be played at home. The Tigers must play against the White Sox four more times. Hopefully we sweep the Chicago White Sox, putting us in the lead. We can and should win the majority of the games that are remaining.

    The Tiger’s two hottest hitters are Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Cabrera has hit 33 homeruns this season alone, and holds a .331 batting average. Fielder is only ten homeruns behind with 23 and a steady batting average of .313.  

The Tiger’s top pitcher is Justin Verlander. He won the MVP Award last year, 2011, for his outstanding performance game after game. This season he has been able to keep up with his household name, pitching 204.1 innings, and striking out 209 batters. Verlander has started 28 games and he has pitched six complete games so far in the 2012 season.

    With this triple threat, the Tigers have a chance at winning the Division Title for the 2012 season. Tune in tonight to see or hear how the game goes against the Cleveland Indians. GO TIGERS!!!!